NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 8 – Legislators within the Pastoralist Community have asked President William Ruto to invoke Article 241(3) of the constitution and have the military lead the operation to flush out bandits in the North Rift region.
Led by Saku Member of Parliament Dido Rasso, they described the banditry menace as untenable with the police-led operation yielding low results.
Article 241 (3c) provide that Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) troops may be deployed to restore peace in any part of Kenya affected by unrest or instability only with the approval of the National Assembly.
“Parliament must be approached as long as it is reasonably possible for us as MPs to give the military the go ahead to discharge their duties to protect properties and livelihood,” said Rasso.
Given the recent spate of killings by the bandits, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei further called on President Ruto to personally take charge of the situation.
“The people handling the situation no longer have the capacity and we are ready as Parliament this afternoon to receive the application and within ten minutes process the approval,” he said.
Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandagor also called for the arrest of political leaders fueling banditry in the region.
The Senator stated that no leader is above the law pointing out that political leaders have been encouraging banditry by financing the terror groups.
“We want peace to be restored among our People. What’s happening is beyond banditry and Livestock theft otherwise we wouldn’t witness the killing of our children, “said Mandago.
The legislators are also pushing for the government to give orders to quarantine Livestock in the North Rift region during the ongoing operation to solve insecurity.
“We are recommending the government to give orders to limit the movement of animals around, they should be quarantined,” said Rasso.
Yesterday, two medics were killed by bandits in Elgeyo Markwet which caused uproar from communities urging the government to move with speed and arrest the situation.
On February 13, President Ruto ordered the KDF to conduct a joint security operation with the police in all bandit-prone areas.
The operation is ongoing in parts of Samburu, Laikipia counties Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, and Samburu Counties.
The areas have been designated as disturbed and dangerous following increased banditry attacks.
Banditry has over decades caused untold suffering characterized by many deaths and injuries in the war-torn counties.
Drought ravaging some of the banditry prone areas is believed to be triggering cattle rustling and banditry activities
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